THERE’S something about Roll-n-Roaster that draws you to the new budget beefery on its East Village corner. Through the window, the standard fast-food setup of laminated booths and a rear service counter seems slightly sweetened by the addition of hanging stained-glass lamps.

Out front, a menu promises slow-roasted beef piled high with natural pan gravy on a freshly baked roll for only $3.95. A customer’s unsolicited endorsement that “the grilled chicken breast is good” was all I needed to scoot on in.

There are plenty of kitschy kitchens about town, cashing in on vintage schtick, but the compelling thing about this place is that it is an honest throwback. The Sheepshead Bay original has been slinging steer for 34 years. They say they’ve sold over 13 million beef sandwiches, so that was first on our list.

The house specialty is a heap of thinly sliced meat on a kaiser roll, the top dipped in roast juice. Though the policy is to ask if you’d like it medium, rare or well-done, that didn’t happen. But the tender pink meat was winningly beefy-tasting and juicy, and the bread maintained its integrity while squishing down enough to make a neat eating package.

The simple plan works equally well on the poultry version (also $3.95). “It’s real turkey!” exclaimed one taster after a bite of the gravy-moistened bird on a bun. Add a big, soft wedge of baked sweet potato crowned with brown sugar and cinnamon ($2.25), and it’s almost Thanksgiving.

Pudding-like Manhattan clam chowder ($2.75) doesn’t fare as well. It’s as if they forgot the clams, and the flavor is weak. And round, rippled fries ($1.65) lack crunch. But a fish fillet sandwich ($3.95) is surprisingly moist and crispy-coated.

A large burger ($2.95) could use a bit more depth – it wants to be juicy, but it’s a bit too thin. Still, it would probably work for the post-Webster Hall crowd down the block. (Roll-n-Roaster is open all night Thursday through Saturday.)

The lone fromage is Cheez Whiz, which they’ll slather on anything for 40 cents. They also have real orangeade, shakes and twin-flavor soft-serve ice cream.